Trimmer catch box

ABSTRACT

This application discloses a trimmer catch box which can be readily attached to a power driven hedge trimmer of either a single edge or double edge type instantly without attaching tools; which provides guide tines or fingers disposed at an angle to the cutter plane for efficient cutting; and which provides a catch box bottom disposed at an angle to the cutter plane for effective reception and retention of clippings and guidance of the trimmer when the cutting plane is vertical, horizontal, or inclined.

United States Patent [191 Latsha Mar. 5, 1974 1 TRIMMER CATCH BOX [76]Inventor: Albert L. Latsha, 460 Colfax Rd.,

Havertown, Pa. 19083 [22] Filed: Oct. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 296,522

[52] US. Cl. 30/132 [51] Int. Cl 8261) 19/48 [58] Field 01'Search..30/l24, 131, 132, 133; 56/144, 56/194 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,552,013 1/1971 Stone 30/132 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 9,810 4/1912 Great Britain 30/132 Great Britain 30/131Great Britain .1 30/131 Primary ExaminerOthell M. Simpson AssistantExaminer-J. C. Peters [5 7 ABSTRACT This application discloses a trimmercatch box which can be readily attached to a power driven hedge trimmerof either a single edge or double edge type instantly without attachingtools; which provides guide tines or fingers disposed at an angle to thecutter plane for efficient cutting; and which provides a catch boxbottom disposed at an angle to the cutter plane for effective receptionand retention of clippings and guidance of the trimmer when the cuttingplane is vertical, horizontal, or inclined.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENT-ED 5 SHEET 2 OF 2 TRIMMER CATCH BOXBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore catch boxes have been providedfor power operated hedge clippers but, so far as known, they have notprovided guide tines for directing clippings to the cutter blade andinto the catch box; have not provided quick and convenient attachingmeans; have not provided reversible attaching means so as to be used oneither side of double edge cutters; and have not provided effectiveangular relationship of tines and box to the cutter plane.

SUMMERY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a trimmer catchbox attachment which carries means for ready mounting on a powertrimmer; which is reversible for attachment in opposite positions to adouble edge trimmer; which has tines or fingers for guiding stems to thecutter and directing cut material into ehe catch box; which has tinesand catch box bottom disposed at effective angles to the cutter plane;and which is comprised of a simple and easily manufactured assembly.

DRAWINGS The invention will be described in connection with a specificexemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the catch box of the presentinvention secured in operating position to a double edge power hedgeclipper;

FIG. 2 is an outer end view of the same assembly as shown in FIG. 1 withthe operating motor casing and carrying handle omitted;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the cutter bar with the catch boxattached in one position for cutting at one edge;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged longitudinal vertical section taken on theline 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial plan view, as in FIG. 3, but showing partsin unlatched position.

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT The embodiment illustrated herein comprises amarket-available hedge trimmer having a drive motor casing assembly withhandle 11, a double edge cutter backing bar 12 with fixed cutter teeth13 on either edge, a double edge cutter blade 14 reciprocated by themotor and having double-edged cutting teeth 15 on either side, and aretaining bar 16 secured to the backing bar 12 by a plurality of studbolts 17. The body of the blade 14 is slotted to accommodatereciprocatory movement for cutting. The trimmer as sold provides for thesecurement of attachments, as a saw or the like, and the stud bolts 17have enlarged extensions 17a above the retaining bar 16. The outer twostud bolts 17 may be assumed to be standard on the trimmer illustratedor to be replacements for the present catch box. However, the inner studbolt 17.1 is specially provided by the present invention, as will bedescribed, for ready securement of the catch box on the trimmer.

According to the present invention, the catch box attachment comprises acatch box proper, generally designated by the numeral 20, having abottom 21 and ends 22. The bottom is flat in front and curved at therear to provide a high rear wall 23 and is preferably roughened, as bystriking up in places, for rigidity and better retention of trimmings.For lightness the box proper may be formed of aluminum sheet, indentedaluminum sheet material being available on the market. The parts may besecured together in any suitable manner, as by rivets, soldering,adhesive, or the like.

A heavier attaching sheet 24, as of stainless steel, is secured to thefront edge of the bottom of the box proper, as by rivets, soldering,adhesive, or the like, the attaching sheet having a flat portion 24aadapted to overlie the retaining bar 16, this flat portion havingelongated slots 25 with intermediate enlargements, such as frontopenings 26, adapted to be slipped on the enlarged portions 17a of thestud bolts 17, 17.1 and beneath the heads and washers of the stud boltsto retain the catch box on the cutter bar. The opposite ends of the flatportion 24 are turned up, as at 27, for securement to the box proper,for strength and rigidity, an to guide trimmings into the catch box.

Tines or fingers 28 extend forward from the front edge of the flat plateportion 24 to guide and force stems to be cut to the cutter blade. Thesetines are quite long and preferably made integral with the plate portion24a. They are located directly above the backing bar teeth 13 to allowfree entry of stems into cutting position. Tines may be omitted at studbolt locations if they would interfere with engagement entry of thestuds with the catch box assembly. The tines are angled upward from thecutter plane to allow free entry of the cutter blade to the stems. Ashere shown, the angle is about 20.

The front edge of the bottom 21 of the catch box is angled downwardslightly from the plane of the cutter so as to retain the clippings andassist in guiding the device along the cut surface of the hedge. Thebottom of the catch box and the tines are disposed approximately in acommon plane. As here shown, the angle of the catch box bottom relativeto the cutting plane is about 10 degrees.

Means are provided for locking the catch box assembly in place on thecutter. As here shown, the locking means comprises a latch lever 30turnablymounted on the long stud bolt 17.1, the latch lever having anupstanding finger element 31 at one end and a downturned, preferablyarcuate, element 32 at the other end adapted to enter a slot and engageone end thereof for locking. The lever can be lifted for disengagementagainst a spring 33 which normally holds it down securely in lockingposition.

The catch box is instantly attachable and removable without tools of anykind and is reversible for use on either side of a double edge trimmer.For attachment, the assembly is pushed forward to engage the stud boltsof the clipper in the slots of the attachment assembly, then movedendwise to the ends of the slots. The catch or latch lever 30 is turnedto engage its end element 32 against the end of the slot-The spring 33holds the latch lever securely in place. For removal, the latch lever islifted and turned to its off position, as shown in FIG. 5, and theattachment moved endwise and rearwardly to disengage it from theretaining stud bolts.

' When assembled, the attachment makes a runnerlike guide for trimmingand holds the accumulated cuttings securely in place without tendency toslide forward into the cutter blade. The angular relation of tines tothe cutting plane makes for less over-ride and faster smoother action.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and describedby way of example, it is to be understood that there may be variousembodiments and modifications within the general scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A catch box attachment for a trimmer having a cutter backing bar withspaced teeth, a cutting blade with spaced teeth, the cutting blade beingreciprocable along the backing bar to move the teeth past each other, aretaining bar, and spaced stud bolts with heads projecting above theretaining bar, in combination I therewith: a catch box having a bottomprovided with slots for engaging beneath the heads of the stud bolts andmovable endwise to the ends of the slots, and latch means mounted on oneof the stud bolts and having a retaining element engageable in the slotembracing the stud therein for holding the box with its slots in endposition on the stud bolts.

2. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 1, which furtherincludes in combination, forwardly projecting tines disposed above andin front of the spaced teeth of the cutter and backing bars for guidingstems to the cutter and assisting in forcing cut material back into thebox.

3. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 2, wherein said tinesare inclined upwardly at an angle toward their front ends from the frontportion of the bottom of the catch box.

4. A catch box attachmentas set forth in claim 3, wherein the angle ofinclination of said tines to the front portion of the bottom of the boxis about degrees.

5. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 3, further characterizedby the fact that the bottom of the rear portion of the catch box behindthe backing bar and cutting blade is inclined downwardly at an angle.

6. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 5, wherein the angle ofinclination of the rear portion of said box bottom to the front portionis about 10 degrees.

7. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim I, wherein said latchmeans comprises a latch lever turnably and slidably mounted on a studbolt and having a downturned end element engageable with an end of theslot when the lever is in a lowered position on the stud bolt.

8. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 7,

which further includes means on the stud for urging said latch leverdown into lowered position to engage its element in the slot.

9. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 1, wherein said slotshave 'a medial opening to receive said stud bolts and extend in oppositedirections from said medial opening for movement to either side of themedial opening for mounting in reversible positions on a double edgetrimmer.

10. A catch box attachment for a trimmer having a cutter backing barwith spaced teeth, a cutting blade with spaced teeth, and a retainingbar, in combination: a catch box having a rear box portion, a fromattaching portion, and forwardly projecting tines disposed above andextending in front of the spaced teeth of the cutter and backing barsfor guiding stems to the cutting teeth and assisting in forcing cutmaterial rearwardly into the box.

1. A catch box attachment for a trimmer having a cutter backing bar withspaced teeth, a cutting blade with spaced teeth, the cutting blade beingreciprocable along the backing bar to move the teeth past each other, aretaining bar, and spaced stud bolts with heads projecting above theretaining bar, in combination therewith: a catch box having a bottomprovided with slots for engaging beneath the heads of the stud bolts andmovable endwise to the ends of the slots, and latch means mounted on oneof the stud bolts and having a retaining element engageable in the slotembracing the stud therein for holding the box with its slots in endposition on the stud bolts.
 2. A catch box attachment as set forth inclaim 1, which further includes in combination, forwardly projectingtines disposed above and in front of the spaced teeth of the cutter andbacking bars for guiding stems to the cutter and assisting in forcingcut material back into the box.
 3. A catch box attachment as set forthin claim 2, wherein said tines are inclined upwardly at an angle towardtheir front ends from the front portion of the bottom of the catch box.4. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 3, wherein the angle ofinclination of said tines to the front portion of the bottom of the boxis about 20 degrees.
 5. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 3,further characterized by the fact that the bottom of the rear portion ofthe catch box behind the backing bar and cutting blade is inclineddownwardly at an angle.
 6. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim5, wherein the angle of inclination of the rear portion of said boxbottom to the front portion is about 10 degrees.
 7. A catch boxattachment as set forth in claim 1, wherein said latch means comprises alatch lever turnably and slidably mounted on a stud bolt and having adownturned end element engageable with an end of the slot when the leveris in a lowered position on the stud bolt.
 8. A catch box attachment asset forth in claim 7, which further includes means on the stud forurging said latch lever down into lowered position to engage its elementin the slot.
 9. A catch box attachment as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid slots have a medial opening to receive said stud bolts and extendin opposite directions from said medial opening for movement to eitherside of the medial opening for mounting in reversible positions on adouble edge trimmer.
 10. A catch box attachment for a trimmer having acutter backing bar with spaced teeth, a cutting blade with spaced teeth,and a retaining bar, in combination: a catch box having a rear boxportion, a front attaching portion, and forwardly projecting tinesdisposed above and extending in front of the spaced teeth of the cutterand backing bars for guiding stems to the cutting teeth and assisting inforcing cut material rearwardly into the box.